Papaver plant named ‘Pink Pearl’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Papaver  plant named ‘Pink Pearl’, characterized by its upright and compact plant habit; moderately vigorous growth habit; freely flowering habit; single flowers with light red-colored petals; and strong peduncles.

Botanical designation: Papaver orientale.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Pink Pearl’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Papaver plant, botanically known as Papaver orientale, commercially referred to as Oriental Poppy, and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name Pink Pearl.

The new Papaver is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Rijpwetering, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program is to develop new Papaver cultivars with compact plant habit and numerous flowers.

The new Papaver originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in 2000 of two unnamed selections of Papaver orientale, not patented. The new Papaver was discovered and selected as a single plant by the Inventor in 2004 in a controlled environment in Rijpwetering, The Netherlands, from the resultant progeny of the stated cross-pollination.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by cuttings at Rijpwetering, The Netherlands since 2004, has shown that the unique features of this new Papaver are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the cultivar Pink Pearl have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Pink Pearl’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Pink Pearl’ as a new and distinct Papaver cultivar:

-   -   1. Upright and compact plant habit.     -   2. Moderately vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Freely flowering habit.     -   4. Single flowers with light red-colored petals.     -   5. Strong peduncles.

Plants of the cultivar Pink Pearl differ from plants of the parent selections primarily in plant height as plants of the new Papaver are more compact than plants of the parent selections.

Plants of the new Papaver can also be compared to plants of the Papaver cultivar Elizabeth, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Rijpwetering, The Netherlands, plants of the new Papaver differed from plants of the cultivar Elizabeth in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Papaver were more compact than plants of         the cultivar Elizabeth.     -   2. Plants of the new Papaver had darker colored flowers than         plants of the cultivar Elizabeth.     -   3. Plants of the new Papaver had stronger peduncles than plants         of the cultivar Elizabeth.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the actual colors of the new Papaver.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a side perspective view of typical plants grown in an outdoor nursery.

The photograph in the center of the sheet is a close up view of a typical flower of ‘Pink Pearl’.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet is a close-up view of a typical leaf of ‘Pink Pearl’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. Plants used for the abovementioned photographs and following observations and measurements were grown in an outdoor nursery in Lisserbroek, The Netherlands, and under conditions which closely approximate commercial production conditions during the spring. The photographs, measurements and observations were taken in may when the plants were about two years old. During this time, day temperatures ranged from 14° C. to 27° C. and night temperatures ranged from 5° C. to 12° C.

-   Botanical classification: Papaver orientale cultivar Pink Pearl. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Unnamed selection of Papaver             orientale, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unnamed selection of Papaver             orientale, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By cuttings.         -   Time to develop roots.—About 90 days at 18° C.         -   Root description.—Fleshy, thick; light brown in color. -   Plant description:     -   -   Form.—Herbaceous perennial flowering plant; mostly upright;             narrow inverted triangle. Basally branching, rosette;             flowering stems arise from the base. Moderately vigorous.         -   Plant height.—About 51.5 cm.         -   Plant diameter.—About 56 cm.         -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Alternate; simple. Shape:             Lanceolate, pinnately and deeply dissected. Length: About             40 cm. Width: About 9.1 cm. Leaf segment shape: Lanceolate;             mid-section and base, pinnatisect; apex, pinnatifid. Leaf             segment apex: Acute. Leaf segment base: Cuneate. Leaf             segment margin: Serrate; occasionally biserrate. Texture,             upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent; rough. Venation             pattern: Pinnate. Color: Developing foliage, upper surface:             143A. Developing foliage, lower surface: 138A. Fully             expanded foliage, upper surface: 143A. Fully expanded             foliage, lower surface: 138B. Venation, upper surface: 138D.             Venation, lower surface: 138B. Petioles: Length: About             12.6 cm. Diameter: About 8 mm. Color: 144A to 144B. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower type and habit.—Single rotate flowers; flowers             terminal and face mostly upright. Flowers not persistent.             One flower per flowering stem, about ten flowers per plant.         -   Natural flowering season.—Plants flower continuously from             mid-May to late June in The Netherlands.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Flower longevity on the plant.—About three days.         -   Flower size.—Diameter: About 15.1 cm. Depth (height): About             6.2 cm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 3.8 cm. Diameter: About 3.4 cm.             Shape: Broadly ovate. Texture: Pubescent; rough. Color:             143A; towards the apex, 137B.         -   Petals.—Arrangement/appearance: Rotate; about six petals             forming a cup-shaped corolla. Length: About 8.2 cm. Width:             About 13.3 cm. Shape: Reniform. Apex: Broadly obtuse;             ruffled. Margin: Irregularly wavy with small incisions.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth; glabrous. Color:             When opening, upper surface: 41C to 43C; towards the center,             41B; towards the base, 46D; basal spots, 202A. When opening,             lower surface: 41C; towards the center, 41B; towards the             base, 42B. Fully opened, upper surface: 41C to 43C; towards             the base, 46D; basal spots, 202A. Fully opened, lower             surface: 41C; towards the center, 41B; towards the base,             42B.         -   Sepals.—None observed.         -   Flower bracts.—Quantity per flower: Four. Length: About             4.1 cm. Width: About 2.2 cm. Shape: Pinnatisect; apex,             acute; margins, serrate. Texture, upper and lower surfaces:             Pubescent. Color, upper surface: 143A. Color, lower surface:             137D.         -   Flowering stems (peduncles).—Length: About 43.5 cm.             Diameter: About 8 mm. Internode length: About 7.8 cm.             Strength: Strong. Aspect: Erect. Texture: Pubescent; rough.             Color: 144A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Numerous,             typically about 300. Stamen length: About 1.7 cm. Anther             shape: Narrowly oblong; basifixed. Anther length: About             3 mm. Anther color: N186B. Filament length: About 1.7 cm.             Filament color: N186B; towards the base, 187D. Pollen             amount: Scarce. Pollen color: N186A to 202A. Pistils:             Quantity per flower: About 15. Pistil length: About 1.1 cm.             Stigma shape: Narrowly oblong, flat. Stigma color: N186A to             177A to 177B. Ovary color: 144B to 144D.         -   Fruits.—Quantity per flower: One. Type: Capsule. Length:             About 1.9 cm. Diameter: About 2.3 cm. Color: 136A to 137A.         -   Seeds.—Quantity per fruit: About 900. Length: About 1 mm.             Diameter: About 1 mm. Color: Closest to 202A to 202B. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Papaver have been noted     to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Papaver. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Papaver have been observed     to tolerate temperatures from −20° C. to 30° C. 

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Papaver plant named ‘Pink Pearl’, as illustrated and described. 